Best Chocolate Cake In The East Bay
Did you know that chocolate has its own holiday? Well, why wouldn't it? Passionate chocolate lovers know that January 27 is National Chocolate Day. Celebrate luxuriously with some of the best chocolate cake in the East Bay. Here are some places to look for it.
(photo credit: swissdelices.com)
Swiss Delices
20669 Santa Maria Ave.
Castro Valley, CA 94546
(510) 881-8669
www.swissdelices.com
When Christine Clement moved to California from Switzerland, she missed her favorite European pastries so much that she eventually opened her own bakery to be sure of a steady supply. Lovers of traditional pastries have been grateful ever since. For the most thrilling chocolate experience, try the chocolate truffle cake. It is intensely dense, extremely creamy and not too sweet. Christine suggests you serve this with a sweet wine.
(photo credit: itsallgoodbakery.com)
It's All Good Bakery
5622 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Oakland, CA 94609
(510) 597-9700
www.itsallgoodbakery.com
If you want your cake with a little bit of Oakland history, visit It's All Good Bakery, founded in 1996 by Oakland native and former rapper Kim Cloud, in a building that was the original headquarters of the Black Panther party. Kim recalls that as children, he and his siblings participated in the Panther's famous free breakfast program. Here you can get your chocolate with a bit of community connection. It's All Good is famous for its super moist yet crumbly German chocolate cake, but those in the know go for the chocolate chocolate cake (only available by special order).
Related: 2012 Tasted Good: The Best New Restaurants That Opened In The East Bay
(photo credit: facebook via CioccolataDiVino)
Cioccolata Di Vino
1801 Shattuck Ave., Suite C
Berkeley, CA 94709
(510) 898-1392
www.facebook.com/CioccolataDiVino
Since opening in January 2009, Cioccolata Di Vino has received multiple Bay Area "best of" awards for its rustic Italian food and its exceptional desserts. For the adventurous, try the uniquely textured torta di cioccolato e polenta, a chocolate polenta cake with finely chopped almonds. For luscious decadence, the torta al cioccolato liquefatto is a molten lava cake that will curl your toes, especially if you add the lavender caramel sauce with sea salt.
(photo credit: thefrenchbakery.biz)
The French Bakery
71 Lafayette Circle
Lafayette, CA 94549
(925) 283-0224
www.thefrenchbakery.biz
Lafayette's The French Bakery is an elegant little restaurant, famous for its elaborate afternoon teas. But chocolate lovers will forego the scones and jam in favor of the amazing Chocolat Diablo. It's a flourless chocolate cake that is devilishly rich. Served with a wonderful raspberry sauce and whipped cream, this will satisfy the most discriminating chocoholic.
Le Bateau Ivre
2629 Telegraph Ave.
Berkeley, CA 94704
(510) 849-1100
www.lebateauivre.net
Le Bateau Ivre is housed in a beautiful old home designed by a French architect in the early 20th century. It may have the loveliest ambience of any coffeehouse in the East Bay. Along with a variety of reasonably priced French bistro food, Le Bateau Ivre offers a luscious chocolate mousse cake in traditional European style. It's delicious and the setting makes it taste even better.
Related: Best Sommeliers In East Bay
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Charles Kruger is well known in the Bay area as "The Storming Bohemian" ever since he entered the Bay Area cultural scene in the summer of 2009, attending 90 cultural events in 90 days and blogging about it. This project was successful enough to warrant a mention in The New York Times. His coverage of Bay ara theatre can be found at Examiner.com.
